1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to printing apparatus and, more particularly, to a printing device which employs a fixedly mounted, segmented character platen to print symbols on unit documents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art that unit documents, checks or tickets, for example, could be printed in various devices with symbols such as numeric or alphabetic characters. Printing mechanisms in such devices were generally located at a print station to which the document was fed. Most frequently, such devices utilized a plurality of movable type wheels, belts or bars which carried engraved characters or symbols thereon. It was, therefore, necessary in such devices to coordinate and compensate for the moving print mechanism and the moving document. Slowing down or stopping the document limited the thruput of the devices, while speeding up the print mechanism relative to document velocity caused timing as well as wear, tension and/or smear problems.